Robert Gates backs President Obama on Syria

Robert M. Gates, the last secretary of defense for President George W. Bush and the first secretary of defense for President Barack Obama, is urging Congress to back the administration on Syria – and says a defeat for the White House would have “dangerous consequences” for the U.S. around the world.

The endorsement from Gates, the highest level official to straddle the two administrations, will be helpful to the White House as it makes its case to lawmakers, many of whom are finding strong opposition back home to another U.S. intervention in the Middle East.

“Whatever one's views on current U.S. policy toward Syria, failure by Congress to approve the request would, in my view, have profoundly negative and dangerous consequences for the United States not just in the Middle East but around the world both now and in the future."

Gates, who was in office from 2006 to 2011, has turned down scores of interview requests on Syria, and had offered no public comment before this statement.

Associates say he will make no further comment until Sept. 17, when he is scheduled to speak at Southern Methodist University with his successor, former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. Their discussion will be moderated by NBC’s David Gregory, who will no doubt ask about Syria.